Physical Characteristics. Holmes County is in northwest Florida and is bordered by Alabama and Washington, Jackson, and Walton counties. The county has 487.50 square miles of land and 2.20 square miles of water for a total of 489.70 square miles. The average January temperature is 53.3 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average August temperature is 81.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The average annual rainfall is 57.40 inches.
History. Holmes County was established in 1848 from portions of Walton and Jackson counties and named for Holmes Creek, the county's eastern boundary. "Holmes" is thought to be derived from either a Indian chieftain with the given name 'Holmes' or from Thomas J. Holmes, a settler from North Carolina.
